EU Officials Denounce War Against Iran as Illegal Amid Energy Security Fears

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas declared on Thursday that the war against Iran lacks a basis in international law, joining a chorus of senior European officials who voiced legal, energy, and economic concerns over the ongoing conflict. Kallas, serving as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made the statement as European leaders gathered to address the conflict's widening consequences for the bloc. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez echoed the legal critique, describing the war on Iran as illegal and warning that some political actors were exploiting the conflict to undermine the Green Deal. The remarks from both officials signal a growing rift between European capitals and Washington over the legal framework underpinning Operation Epic Fury, the US-Israel military campaign against Iran that began on February 28, 2026. The convergence of legal, energy, and industrial concerns at a single moment underscores the breadth of European anxiety about the conflict's trajectory.

Energy prices and storage gaps alarm EU institutions European Parliament President Roberta Metsola warned of a further rise in energy prices and called on the EU to invest in energy storage capacity as a structural response to the crisis. Metsola also stated that the war in Iran affects the European Union directly and urged member states to pursue de-escalation. European Council President António Costa described the current moment as difficult for energy markets and called for Europe to increase its own production to reduce external vulnerability. The two institutional leaders framed the energy challenge not merely as a short-term price shock but as a structural exposure that predates the current conflict. Their statements came as European energy markets have faced sustained pressure since the start of the US-Israel campaign against Iranian infrastructure. Costa's call for boosted domestic production reflects a broader European debate about energy sovereignty that has intensified since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Metsola's emphasis on storage investment points to a specific policy gap that European institutions have identified as critical to managing future supply disruptions.

Macron calls attacks on gas infrastructure reckless French President Emmanuel Macron described attacks on gas infrastructure as reckless and called for a truce during the holidays, adding a humanitarian dimension to the European response. Macron's framing of the gas attacks as reckless was among the sharpest public criticisms of the military campaign's conduct from a major Western leader. His call for a holiday truce echoed similar appeals made during previous conflict cycles in the Middle East, though the specific timing and addressees of the appeal were not detailed in available reporting. The French president's intervention came as European capitals weighed how to respond collectively to a conflict they had no formal role in initiating. France, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a nuclear power, carries particular diplomatic weight in any push for de-escalation. Macron's dual focus on infrastructure attacks and a truce window suggests Paris is attempting to open a diplomatic channel without formally breaking with Washington. The US-Israel military campaign against Iran, designated Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, 2026. The initial strikes killed then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei, his son, was subsequently appointed Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. The conflict has generated significant international debate about its legal basis under the UN Charter and the laws of armed conflict.

Italian industry chief demands ETS suspension and eurobonds Emanuele Orsini, president of Confindustria, called for the immediate suspension of the Emissions Trading System and warned that if the war continues, the EU will need to issue eurobonds to manage the economic fallout. Speaking in Brussels, Orsini described the suspension of the ETS as the only viable path forward given current conditions, calling it a "cry of alarm" from Italian industry. The call for eurobonds represents a significant escalation in the demands from European business, as joint EU debt issuance remains politically contentious among northern member states. Orsini's intervention aligned with Pedro Sánchez's warning that some actors were using the conflict to roll back the Green Deal, though the two came from different political directions — one from government, one from industry. The Confindustria president's appearance in Brussels signaled that the lobbying pressure on EU institutions over the conflict's economic consequences was intensifying. His dual demand — short-term ETS relief and longer-term joint financing — reflects the scale of concern among European manufacturers about sustained energy price increases and competitive disadvantage.